Crime & Safety

Roslyn Man Who Stole $4.5M From Mom Gets Prison Time

The man spent the funds on private jets, a $100,000 bottle of champagne and Super Bowl box seats, the DA says.

A Roslyn man was sentenced to prison on Thursday for stealing more than $4.5 million from his mother to fund a lifestyle that included private jets, a $100,000 bottle of champagne and Super Bowl box seats, Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said.

Samuel Bernstein, 24, was sentenced to three to nine years in prison. He pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny on Aug. 29.

“[Bernstein] stole more than $4 million from his mother, and used it to fund a lavish lifestyle that included private jets, night clubs, hotels and more,” Singas said in a press release. “Crimes that victimize family members betray the most fundamental trust and this defendant will pay with the loss of his liberty.”

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The DA says Bernstein stole the money from an account controlled by his mother, who used it to fund a charity for wheelchair tennis players. From June 2015 to June 2017, Bernstein allegedly accessed the account electronically and used the funds to:

  • Pay for night clubs, hotels, private jets, Super Bowl box seats, rent and a $100,000 bottle of champagne;
  • Pay off American Express, Capital One and Chase credit cards that belonged to his friends;
  • Transfer money to various account using mobile payment services – including Venmo, Paypal, Squareup and Plastiq— to then obtain cash.

His mother became aware of the alleged theft in April 2017 and filed a complaint in Manhattan. The case was then referred to the NCDA. He was arrested on June 6.

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Image via NCDA


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